Ulstalav Adventure

The Rescue

16

FEB/14

Journal notes by Kerowyn

After commercial break, Sam realized he might be able to read the notes, since he had some linguist skills but was unsuccessful. Sam said he would pray for the comprehend languages instead of Raz making a potion.. Before the party actually rested, the homunculus started pantomiming urgently, Sam told the homunculus that we would need to rest before facing the beast/monster that was holding the doctor hostage… Mira pointed out that if we did save the doctor, we would have to give him the sad news that someone had looted his property. Sam asked the homunculus if it was the doctor’s familiar, and it nodded yes. The familiar pantomimed that it needed food and water to take to the doctor, so Mira gave it a day’s worth of rations to deliver to the doctor. The familiar disappeared after taking the items from Mira… It returned later, trying to get the party moving until it was told that we needed a full night’s rest and it disappeared dejectedly. The party discussed using the goat figurine in the upcoming battle.

After resting, Sam attempted to read the writing on the wall/notes using his spell. The notes talked about the existence of a bondslave thrall, which had the ability to control the Beast of Lepidstadt (AKA our friend Bebe). Also on the wall was a crude chalk diagram showing the lightning rod with two devices, one with an arrow and the words that “the storm collar must be activated to energize the bondslave thrall.” During the discussion, the party decides to try to activate the device at the top of the tower, as it was determined that activating the device would bring Bebe here. The group headed downstairs and out the building. Mira used her rope of climbing and secured it to the top of the tower. She climbed up the rope and saw a odd dual apparatus attached to the lightning rod and a bunch of cables. Mira pantomimed that is was OK and Kero, Raz Gloriana climbed the rope followed by Sam, Klemeth and Turin. There group didn’t see any obvious “ON/OFF” switches, and Raz activated his detect magic, which showed that part of the first device glowing. Raz and Mira climbed up to the top of the device. Raz started investigating the “control panel” at the top and activated it. The device started to emit a deep hum and lightning started to spark. A large bolt of lightning came down and almost hit Turin. When Raz turned on the second device, we heard a high pitched whine, and the alchemical liquids started boiling Thru the device, Raz could feel the Beast’s pain and knew he could call the Beast to him. Raz “told” Bebe that we need his help and he should come to the tower. While Raz is doing that, the iron shutters in the floor start shaking as it sounds like blows are being rained upon it.

The group heard two big slams. Mira started climbing down the rope, but Raz realized he needed to stay in contact with the device to operate it. Those down below the devices prepared to face whatever came thru the shutters, if it wasn’t Bebe. After a final thunderous THUMP, the shutter exploded and the monster appeared. The monster was a mish-mash flesh golem of 6 or more different types of creatures: choker, ettercap, cloker, chuul and others. Gloriana detected no evil on the golem.

The group flanked the golem and started attacking it, with reduced impact. Sam summoned a swarm of bats while Turn summoned a spirit weapon. Klemeth spit acid at it, Mira initiated a back-stab attack and Kerowyn wounded it with her sword. The monster caught Kero in its clutches, wounding her multiple times. The goat charged the golem, hitting the golem with its horns. Raz threw a bomb at the golem. The golem tried to paralyze Kero, but she shook off the effects. Klemeth cast a sonic attack while the goat bit the golem and coughed up smoke that blinded the golem temporarily. Raz threw a bomb at the golem, which also burned Kero. The golem cast webs that caught Mira but she was able to break out. Gloriana dealt the final blow to the golem and it fell back thru the shutters just as Bebe appeared on the other side of the roof. Raz asked/told Bebe to insure the golem was dead and Bebe started to shred its body to pieces. Sam started healing Kero while the others headed down to the room below. In the room, the group saw a bunch of hanging chains, a woman suspended in liquid and a bunch of webs. They also saw the homunculus by an iron idol. The idol looked like an iron casket bound by adamantium. Once Raz released Bebe from the collar, Bebe screamed, “Father!” and tore open the casket. When it opened, there was an old man inside – the Doctor. He asked that the party leave him in peace as he didn’t want any rumors about what happened. He explained that he was locked in the casket by the Whispering Way — they wanted control of Bebe for nefarious purposes (the theft of the Sea Sage effigy) and had released all the Doctor’s creatures.

Raz asked for a description of the members of the Way that had attacked him, and he was able to give the party some additional information. He then asked that the party take revenge on the Whispering Way for the damages they’d done. He offered the party 1500 gp each, and Mira convinced him to increase the pay to 2000. He mentioned that the familiar heard the members talking about a place called Ascanor Lodge within a Shudder Woods — the only island of civility in the deadly depths of the Woods. He gave directions to the Silent Path, an ancient hunting trail thru the Woods marked by strange bone fetishes. The Path was located about a mile downstream from his complex. Bebe thanked the party for their help and saving “Father” with lots of hugs. Mira asked the Doctor if he had any way of restoring the abilities that were drained during the multiple battles, and he produced a wand to do so.

The party headed back to town and spoke to the judge from the trial. She said the only remaining item was the stolen effigy. She also mentioned that she was a member of the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye, a secret organization that seeks to defend the country from evil within and without. She said the Whispering Way was a cult that worshiped the undead and they have connections to the Whispering Tyrant Tar-Baphon. She offered 7000 gp up-front to investigate the cult and hinted that this could prove the way to be initiated into her order, if the party proved loyal and able. When the party went to the bank to get the money from the Doctor, they actually gave each party member an additional 500 gp. The party decided to spend a day or two resting, researching, healing and shopping before heading out on the trail of the Whispering Way.